High crime in PB bar district – Again!

On Wednesday, February 3rd, the San Diego Police Department will deliver its annual “Crime Briefing” to the City Council’s Public Safety and Livable Neighborhoods committee (PS&LN). Crime statistics for the first 11 months of 2015 have been posted on their website and are shown graphically below: http://www.sandiego.gov/police/services/statistics/index.shtml

Once again PB is near the top for violent crime (mostly alcohol-fueled fights and assaults), almost all of which occurred in the “bar district.” The police have been doing an outstanding job at an impossible task. It is past time for the City to enact policies that will give our police the tools and funding they need to reduce this high crime. And every year, PB continues to get additional new/expanded alcohol licenses, sometimes even over the objections of the police and the local staff of the ABC.

Since SavePB.org was formed in 2005, we’ve been working to reduce the crime in our business district that is a direct result of the over-concentration of alcohol businesses, and their problematic operations. We have researched and proposed proven solutions, which include establishing city control over where and how new alcohol businesses operate, and using a cost recovery fee to fund enhanced police monitoring and enforcement. However, so far the City has been unwilling to adopt these solutions, and a result, crime in our business district remains high. (Fortunately, crime remains low in our residential neighborhoods!) As always, it is critical for City officials to hear from concerned citizens who want effective action to reduce alcohol-related crime.

We encourage you to email your experiences and comments to our City officials:

Email to PS&LN Committee members and staff, and to the mayor:martiemerald@sandiego.gov; chriscate@sandiego.gov; myrtlecole@sandiego.gov; toddgloria@sandiego.gov; mberumen@sandiego.gov; kevinfaulconer@sandiego.gov

The City must adopt new policies that give the City (not the ABC) land-use control over where and how new alcohol businesses operate; and that provide police with the funding and tools they need to educate, monitor and enforce to ensure best business practices that reduce alcohol-related crime. Many other California cities have successfully used such policies to reduce crime and to improve business districts as well as residents quality of life. Read PB Planning Group 2011 report for more info on issues and solutions:

It’s time to give police the tools they need to make Pacific Beach safer. It’s good for the hospitality industry, for tourism, for all businesses, and for residents too.